It’s Time for a Breakthrough

Tents of Mercy Congregation

Kiryat Yam, Israel

On February 28, 2026, Israeli and American jet fighters broke through Iranian defenses to eliminate the top leadership of the Islamic dictatorship, bringing hope to the people of Iran and the prospect of greater peace in our region.

This breakthrough follows two years of non-stop war with Hamas. We long for change on the macro level – to end the continual combat and the ensuing tension.  

Yet there is also a daily need for a breakthrough on the micro level. The surrounding upheaval serves to call us out of mere maintenance mode. It awakens within us the desire for real change – financial, relational, spiritual etc. We want to have a greater impact on the people whose lives we touch.

This yearning is not limited to our private existence. As active members of Messiah’s community, we feel it for our congregations too. Are we entering a new season? What if God is using today’s uncertainty to lift our gaze beyond deadly missiles, to renew our faith and bring a fresh wind of His Spirit? 

“Like a Breakthrough of Water”

When a woman gives birth, the process begins with a breaking of water. The amniotic sac ruptures. Then, to receive the new child, the mother must embrace the rigors of labor. If we desire a breakthrough in God’s presence and His activity among us, we must also be ready to embrace the spiritual labor of praying, humbling ourselves, and seeking His face.

David used this same watery image to describe a victory over his enemies. “...and David defeated them there; and he said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim [Master of Breakthroughs]” (2 Samuel 5:20). David was at war, and he prayed for victory. The Lord breaks through in response to our prayers.

Joshua and the Broken Walls

The walls of Jericho fell after Joshua and Israel passed several tests. Their breakthrough into the “promised land” required preparation. The first steps were literal – entering the Jordan River while it was still flowing. Once they crossed the Jordan there was no turning back. Crossing over was an act of faith – faith in God’s promise to give them the land as an inheritance.

The next stage was circumcision. It took the warriors out of commission and made them vulnerable to attack. The biblical meaning of circumcision is to live with a tender, surrendered heart. Before breakthrough comes a brokenness before God.

Like Israel, are we ready to step out beyond our comfort zone, hearing His voice and trusting Him to lead us into His greater purposes? 

Encounter with the Commander

Before he could break through the foreboding Jericho walls, Joshua had an unusual encounter. He saw a man with a drawn sword. Joshua asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The man replied: “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (Joshua 5:13-15).

Joshua fell on his face. The Commander told him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” This was a “theophany” – a pre-incarnation appearance of the Son of God (Yeshua). Joshua needed to meet the Lord face to face. For us to break through, we too need a revelation of Yeshua. We cannot defeat the enemy with our own weapons; we must fight from our knees, in union with the Lord of Hosts.

The Shofar and the Shout 

“And it shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn... all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat” (Joshua 6:20).

Why the Shofar? Why the shout? It was a declaration of their faith. They had to declare their faith before the walls fell. When I hear the shofar or when I shout, it releases something inside. There are walls within our own hearts and souls that we must break through to get to the next level.

Following Joshua’s Sequence 

Here are the steps Joshua took that led to the breakthrough at Jericho:

I. Crossing the Jordan and Circumcision = Letting God take us beyond our comfort zone into “new territory,” dedicating ourselves totally to His purposes.

II. Seeing the Commander in Chief = Bowing before the authority and power of Yeshua

III. The Shofar and The Shout = Boldly declaring our faith in God’s promises

If we are seeking breakthroughs – whether personal, congregational, or national, we must first remove walls. If there is sin in my life, that is a wall between me and God. I must demolish it through sincere repentance and changed habits. If there is bitterness or resentment toward anyone it must be removed through forgiveness and blessing (Matthew 5:44).

It’s time for a breakthrough. “O God, Master of breakthroughs, despite obstacles on the inside and on the outside, we look to you. You broke through the walls of Jericho, and you brought us into this land. So, we take up the shofar of your word and we shout your Name!” 

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